Microphone and switch assembly



Jan. 6, 1970 w. M. MAKI 3,488,456

MICROPHONE AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct. 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 6, 1970 w. M. MAW 3,488,456

MICROPHONE AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct- 22, 1965 4 Shets-Sheet 2 "/1 Inver'z'ko ns [86 M William...aki.

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Jan. 6, 1970 w. M. MAKI MICROPHONE AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct. 22, 1.965

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnven'kaws wiHiamM. cal- 1 MICROPHONE INPUT TERMlNALS Jan. 6, 1970 w, MAM 3,488,456

MICROPHONE AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct. 22, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invent-eras William M.Mlk.i.

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iH-korrzew United States Patent U.S. Cl. 179-147 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A microphone and stand assembly is disclosed for either hand held use or use with the base of the stand resting on a flat surface, A switch for actuating and de actuating the microphone is provided which may be either mounted on the base of the stand for use when the stand base rests on a fi'at surface, or mounted on a leg of the stand extending between the base and the microphone for use when the assembly is hand held. A novel switch construction is also provided.

This application is a continuation of the applicants copending application, Ser. No. 502,033, filed Oct. 2.2, 1965, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to microphones generally, and specifically to assemblies of a microphone and a stand for holding or mounting the microphone during use.

Prior to the present invention, it has been conventional to construct assemblies of a microphone and a stand mounted on the microphone to facilitate use of the microphone. One type of stand is designed to support the microphone in the hand of a person using the microphone, and another type of stand is designed to support the microphone resting on the floor or the surface of a table. In addition, some hand held type microphone assemblies have been provided with associated bases for receiving the microphone assembly and directly supporting the hand held type microphone assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel microphone assembly including a microphone and stand construction which may be hand held or positioned on a flat horizontal surface without the need of any base. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel microphone assembly which includes such a microphone and stand construction and is provided with a switch mounted in the stand which may be operated when hand held with the hand holding the microphone assembly.

The most convenient position for a switch on a hand held type of a microphone assembly is substantially different from the most convenient position of a switch on a microphone assembly positioned on a flat horizontal surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a microphone assembly including a microphone, a switch and a stand which is provided with means for mounting the switch in one of two separate locations, one location being preferable for hand held operation of the microphone and the other location being preferable for operation with the microphone mounted on a horizontal surface.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a microphone assembly with a microphone, a switch and a stand provided with two diiferent locations for receiving the switch, in which the switch may be transferred from one location to the other location with a minimum of efiort and with only the simplest of tools. With a microphone assembly constructed in this manner, a hand held microphone assembly may readily be conice verted to a microphone assembly for positioning on a horizontal surface.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from a further consideration of this specification, particularly when considered in the light of the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a microphone assembly constructed according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the microphone assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the stand of the microphone assembly along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the actuator for the switch of the microphone assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a plug for the stand illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 8 is an isometric view of the switch mounting bracket for the stand, also illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the switch mounting bracket illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of the switch mounting bracket taken along the line 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the switch assembly illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 12 is a schematic electrical circuit diagram for the microphone and switch assembly; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the microphone assembly of FIGURES 1 through 12 with the switch assembly in the leg of the stand.

As illustrated in FIGURES l and .2, the microphone assembly has a microphone sub-assembly 10, generally called a microphone, and a stand 12. The microphone sub-assembly 10 contains a conventional electromechanical transducer which is a dynamic type transducer in the illustrated embodiment, but which also can be a piezoelectric transducer. The electromechanical transducer is driven in the conventional manner by a diaphragm, and hence these elements are not illustrated. The microphone sub-assembly 10 has a circular tapering casing 14 which has an opening 16 at one end for admittance of sound waves into the casing, and the opening 16 is covered by a screen 18.

The end of the microphone casing 14 opposite the opening 16 is generally cylindrical and mounted on a circular flange 20 protruding from the stand 12. The stand 12 has a base portion 22 which is provided with a flat side 24, and a leg portion 26 extends generally normally from the base portion 22 of the stand and terminates remote from the base portion in the circular flange 20. The circular flange 20 has an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the end of the casing 14 of the microphone, thus permitting the casing 14 to be disposed over the flange and in abutment with a circular shoulder 28 on the end of the leg portion 26 of the stand 12. This end of the stand 12 is also provided with a circular recess 30 which extends coaxially into the end of the leg portion 26 of the stand 12, and a flat finger 32 protrudes into the recess 30 from the leg portion 26 parallel to the central axis of the recess 30. The flat finger 32 has an aperture 34 extending therethrough normal to the flat surfaces thereof, and an orifice 36 in the shoulder 28 of the leg portion 26 of the stand 12 is aligned with the aperture 34. The microphone sub-assembly 10 is provided with a bracket 38 secured thereto by a screws 40, and the bracket 38 has a depending end 42 which is disposed parallel to the surfaces of the flat finger 32 of the leg portion of the stand 12 and is provided with a threaded opening 44 in alignment with the aperture 34 and onfice 36. A locking bolt 45 extends through the orifice 86, aperture 34, and threadedly engages the threaded openlng 44 to secure the microphone sub-assembly 10 onto the stand 12.

The base portion 22 of the stand 12 has a large recess 46 extending therein from the flat side 24, thus forming a pair of relatively thin side walls 48, a relatively thin integral front wall 50, a relatively thin integral face wall 52, and a relatively thin integral back wall 54. The side walls 48 are each provided with a central inwardly protruding rib 56 which terminates in a flat surface 58 spaced from and adjacent to the flat side 24 of the base portion 22, and a circular bore 60 extends from the surface 58 into each of the ribs 56. A bottom plate 62 is mounted on the base portion 22 in abutment with the flat surfaces 58 of the ribs 56, and the bottom plate 62 is secured into position by two threaded screws 64 extending into the bore 60 in each of the ribs 56. In this manner the bottom plate 62 forms the recess 46 into a closed cavity within the base portion 22 of the stand 12.

The leg portions 26 of the stand 12 has a channel 66 which extends from the recess 46 of the base portion 22 to the circular recess 30 in the end of the leg portion 26. Two electrically conducting wires 68 and 70 are provided with an exterior layer of electrically insulating material and extend from the microphone 10, through the circular recess 30, and through channel 66. The wires 68 and 70 are electrically connected to two terminals 72 and 74 of a leaf spring switch assembly 76, as illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 12.

The base portion 22 of the stand 12 is provided with an elongated opening 78 in the face wall 52 thereof parallel to and adjacent to the front wall 50. In like manner, the leg portion 26 is provided with an identical slot 80 in the surface thereof confronting the face wall 52 of the base portion 22, but the axis of the slot 80 is disposed normal to the axis of the opening 78. The center of the opening 78 and the central axis of the slot 80 are disposed in a common plane which transverses the axis of elongation of the leg portion 26. An actuating bar 82 may be slidably disposed in either of the opening 78, or slot 80, and for purposes of illustration, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate the actuating bar 82 disposed in the opening 78 of the base portion 22.

The actuating bar 82 is mounted on an elongated switch mounting bracket 84 which is illustrated in detail in FIG- URES 8, 9, and 10. The mounting bracket 84 has an end bar 86 normal to the axis of elongation of the bracket 84 and provided with a central aperture 88. The end bar 86 of the mounting bracket 84 also has a recess 90 which extends therein from one side, designated 91, and the recess 90 has two flat surfaces 92 and 94 parallel to the axis of the end bar 86 which intersect at the aperture 88. The stand 12 has a protruding boss 96 disposed at the intersection of the face wall 52 and the leg portion 26 of the stand 12, and the boss 96 has surfaces mating with the surfaces 92 and 94 of the end bar 86. The boss 96 also has a bore 98 extending therein and aligned with the aperture 88, and a bolt 100 extends through the end bar 86 and into the bore 98 to mount the mounting bracket 84 on the stand 12 in one of two positions, as will be described hereafter. It is to be noted that the mounting bracket 84 has two webs 102 and 104 on opposite sides of the recess '90 of the end bar 86, and these webs are disposed in slots 106 on opposite sides of the boss 96, the webs engaging the opposite surfaces of the boss 96.

The mounting bracket 84 has an elongated central strip 108 which extends normally from the bar' 86, and the strip 108 has a flat wall 110 on the side 91 of the mounting bracket 84. A groove 112 extends across the strip 108 on the opposite side of the strip 108, designated 114, for the purpose of providing a hinge joint at the groove 112. The entire mounting bracket 84 is an integral structure of resilient plastic material, and the groove 112 provides the necessary flexability to provide the hmge 'oint.

] A rectangular boss 116 extends outwardly from the side 91 of the flat wall 110 of the mounting bracket 84, and the boss 116 is slidably disposed within a rectangular central recess 118 of the actuating bar 82, the recess being illustrated in FIGURE 5. The mounting bracket 84 is also provided with a pair of bifurcations 120 and 122 which extend and diverge outwardly from the end bar 86 on opposite sides of the central strip 108. The bifurcations 120 and 122 are disposed in a common plane transversing the axis of elongation of the mounting bracket 84, and are provided with regions of restricted cross-section 124 and 126 adjacent to the end bar 86 which form hinge joints and permit the bifurcations 120 and 122 to be pivoted in the common plane. Each of the bifurcations is provided with a protruding boss 128 and 130 in the form of a pin, and these pins extend outwardly from the side 91 of the mounting bracket 84 to assume alignment with the boss 116 on the central strip 108 of the mounting bracket 84.

The mounting bracket 84 is in all cases mounted on the boss 96 of the stand 12, however, the mounting bracket may extend either into the .base portion 22 or into the leg portion 26 of the stand 12. As illustrated in exploded view in FIGURE 2, the mounting bracket 84 extends into the base portion 22 to position the actuating bar 82 in the opening 78 in the face 52 of the base portion 22. Because of the fact that the single bolt 100 secures the end strip 86 on the boss 96, it is possible to reverse the position of the mounting bracket 84 by removing the bottom plate 62, removing the bolt 100, rotating the mounting bracket 84 to position it within the leg portion 26, and reinserting the bolt 100 through the aperture 88 in the mounting bracket to secure the mounting bracket into position.

The actuating bar 82 may be mounted on the mounting bracket 84 with its axis of elongation normal to the axis of elongation of the mounting bracket, or with the axis of elongation of the actuating bar 82 parallel to the axis of elongation of the mounting bracket 84. The actuating bar 82 is provided with a pair of slots 132 and 134 spaced by equal distances on opposite sides of the central recess 118, and these slots have widths slightly larger than the thickness of the pins 128 and 130 of the bifurcations 120 and 122. The actuating bar 82 is mounted with its axis of elongation perpendicular to the axis of elongation of the mounting bracket 84 by positioning the boss 116 within the rectangular recess 118 of the actuating bar 82 and the pins 128 and 130 within the slots 132 and 134. When the mounting bracket 84 is positioned within the base portion 22 of the stand 12, the actuating bar 82 is mounted on the mounting bracket 84 in this manner. The actuating bar 82 is positioned with its axis of elongation parallel to the axis of elongation of the mounting bracket 84 by placing the bifurcations 120 and 122 into abutment with the central strip 108 of the mounting bracket 84 and positioning the boss 116 and the pins 128 and 130 within the single central recess 118. The actuating bar 82 is mounted on the mounting bracket 84 in this manner when the mounting bracket 84 is disposed within the leg portion 26 of the stand 12. It is to be noted that the distance between the bore 98 in the boss 96 and the center of the opening 78 is the same as the distance between the bore 98 and the center of the slot 80; and in like manner the distance between the center of the aperture 88 and the center of the boss 116 of the mounting bracket 84 is the same as the distances between the bore 98 and the center of the opening 78 and the center of the slot 80.

The actuating bar 82 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 136 which extends completely about the recessed side of the actuating bar 82, and the flange abuts the inner surface of the stand 12 to retain the actuating bar within the stand 12. Further, the actuating bar 82 has an indented face surface 138 preferably of sufficient area and length to accommodate the tips of a plurality of fingers of an operator. 7

In both mounting positions of the mounting bracket 84, the mounting bracket 84 is spring biased toward the adjacent surface of the stand 12 by means of a leaf spring 140, illustrated in FIGURE 2. The leaf spring is contoured at one end to fit about the boss 96 of the stand 12, and is provided with an opening 142 which accommodates the bolt 100 to mount this end of the leaf spring 140 on the stand 12. The opposite end of the leaf spring is disposed within a channel 144 which extends along the axis of the central strip 108 on the side 114 of the mounting bracket 84 to urge the central strip 108 toward the adjacent surface of the face 52 of the base or the leg portion 26 of the stand 12.

A cylindrical peg 146 also extends from the side 114 of the central strip 108 perpendicularly, and the peg 146 is slidably disposed within a cylindrical channel 148 in the switch assembly 76. A second channel 150 adjacent to and parallel to the channel 148 accommodates a threaded bolt 152 which engages an aperture 153 in the central strip 108 of the mounting bracket 84 to secure the switch assembly 76 into position.

The switch assembly 76 has a plurality of electrically conducting leaves 154, 156, 158, 160, and 162; and each of the leaves is spaced and insulated by a rectangular block 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, and 174. The channels 148 and 150 traverse the leaves and the blocks, and the leaves extend on opposite sides of the blocks parallel to the axis of elongation of the central strip, the portion of the leaves confronting the end strip 86 of the mounting bracket 84 forming terminals. The portion of the leaves 156 and 160 protruding on the opposite side of the terminals are provided with electrically insulating pads 176 and 178, and the pad 176 is positioned to confront the bottom plate 62 or a portion of the wall of the leg portion 26 designated 180. When the actuating bar 82 is depressed, the pad 176 abuts the confronting surface of either the bottom plate 62 or the portion 180 of the wall of the leg portion 26 to open the contacts between the leaves 154 and 156 and to close the contacts between the leaves 160 and 162.

The wall 54 of the base 22 is provided with an inwardly extending slot 182 which accommodates a circular groove portion 184 of a cable relief member 186. The cable relief member 186 is disposed about a cable 188 which is anchored at its one end within the cavity of the stand 12 by a bracket 190 disposed beneath the cap of the screw 100. The cable 188 has a shield 192 which is connected to the terminal or lug 74 of the switch assembly 76. The cable 188 also contains a wire 194 which is connected to the terminal 72, and hence to the wire 68 and the microphone sub-assembly 10.

The cable 188 also has two wires 196 and 198 which extend therethrough for the purpose of providing power for one or more indicator lamps 200. The indicator lamp 200 is mounted on a plate 202 which has a plurality of clips 204 protruding from one side and is adapted to mate within the opening 78 and the slot 80. The indicator lamp 200 is mounted on this plate, the plate being partially transparent, and is electrically connected to the wires 196 and 198 in series with the switch formed by the leaves 160 and 162 of the switch assembly 76. In this manner, depressing the actuating bar 82 opens the shorting switch formed by the leaves 154 and 156 to actuate the microphone sub-assembly and simultaneously closes the switch formed by the leaves 160 and 162 to actuate the lamp 200.

It will be recognized that the mounting bracket 84 with its associated switch assembly 76 may be moved from the base portion to the leg portion 26 of the stand 12 by removing the bolts 64, removing the bottom plate 62, removing the bolt 100, removing the snap-in plate 202, rotating the mounting bracket 84 to its other position, replacing the screw 100, positioning the snap-in plate 202 in its other position, snapping the plate 202 in place, replacing the bottom plate 62, and replacing the bolts 64. All of these steps may be accomplished by the use of a screwdriver.

It is of course to be understood that the plate 202 need not be provided with indicator lamps and that the plate may simply be a false plate for covering the opening 78 or slot 80. Further, those skilled in the art will devise many modifications of the present microphone assembly and will find many applications for the present inventions over and above that here disclosed. It is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention be not limited by the foregoing disclosure, but rather only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A microphone stand assembly,

comprising the combination of a microphone stand having a hollow base with a hollow standard projecting upwardly therefrom,

said base having a cavity therein,

said standard having a channel therein communicating with said cavity,

said base having a top wall with a first slot therein,

said standard having a front wall with a second slot therein,

said slots being substantially the same in size and shape,

said stand having a junction portion disposed between said base and said standard,

a mounting member formed on said junction portion and on the inside of said stand in communiction with said cavity and said channel,

said mounting member being oriented at an intermediate angle between the angle of said top wall and the angle of said front wall,

the angle between said mounting member and said top wall being the same as the angle between said mounting member and said front wall,

a switch assembly having a movable actuating member projecting outwardly through one of said slots,

a closure member removably mounted in the other of said slots,

said switch assembly including a mounting bracket having an end member engaging said. mounting member,

removable fastening means for securing said end member to said mounting member,

said end member being disposed at an angle to said mounting bracket corresponding to said intermediate angle,

said switch assembly being reversible between said first and second slots by loosening said fastening means, disengaging said end member from said mounting member, turning said mounting bracket through substantially relative to said mounting member, re-engaging said end member with said mounting member, and re-engaging said fastening means,

said closure member being reversible between said slots so that said closure member occupies one slot while said actuating member occupies the other slot,

the reversibility of said switching assembly making provision for location of Said switch assembly in either the standard or the base of said microphone stand.

2. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 1,

in which said first and second slots are elongated in shape,

said actuating member being in the form of an elongated actuating bar corresponding in shape to said slots,

said first slot extending crosswise relative to the direction between said mounting member and said first slot,

said second slot extending longitudinally relative to the direction between said mounting and said second slot,

said actuating bar being movable between a crosswise position and a longitudinal position relative to said mounting bracket of said switch assembly,

said actuating bar being oriented crosswise when positioned in said first slot while being oriented longitudinally when positioned in said second slot.

3. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 2,

in which said mounting bracket of said switch assembly comprises a swingable arm having a hinge connection to said end member,

said actuating bar being mounted on said arm for swinging movement therewith through one of said slots,

said switch assembly having switch contacts operable by swinging movement of said arm,

said arm having a pair of bifurcations mounted thereon for lateral swinging movement toward and away from said arm,

each of said bifurcations having a tab projecting therefrom for engagement with said actuating bar,

said actuating bar having an underside with a central recess therein for receiving both of said tabs,

said underside of said bar having a pair of additional recesses therein spaced laterally in opposite directions from said central recess for receiving the individual tabs,

said bifurcations being spread laterally with said tabs received in said additional recesses when said bar is positioned in said slot in said base,

said bifurcations affording lateral support for said bar,

said bifurcations being swung toward each other with both of said tabs received in said central recess when said bar is positioned in said second slot in said standard.

4. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 3,

in which said mounting bracket is molded in one piece of resinous plastic material to include said end member, said arm, said hinge connection, and said bifurcations,

said bifurcations having integral hinge portions connecting said bifurcations with said arm.

5. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 1,

in which said mounting member includes a boss projecting inwardly from said junction portion of said stand,

said end member of said mounting bracket including a seat interfitting with said boss and reversible in position through substantially 180 relative to said boss.

6. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 5,

in which said fastening means include a screw extending between said end member and said boss.

7. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 1,

in which said fastening means include a screw extending between said end member and said mounting member.

8. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 1,

in which said mounting member includes a boss projecting inwardly from said junction portion of said stand,

said boss being in the form of a ridge of generally truncated V-shaped cross section,

said ridge extending crosswise relative to the direction between said boss and said first slot,

said end member having a seat interfitting with and corresponding in shape to said ridge,

said seat being reversible through 180 relative to said ridge.

9. A microphone stand assembly according to claim 1,

in which said mounting bracket includes a swingable arm having a hinge connection to said end member,

said actuating member being mounted on said arm for swinging movement therewith through one of said slots,

said switch assembly having a set of switch contacts mounted on and movable bodily with said arm,

said switch assembly including an operating member mounted on said arm and movable relative thereto for operating said switch contacts,

said base having a bottom wall,

said standard having a rear wall,

said operating member being engageable with said bottom wall for operating said switch contacts in response to movement of said arm when said actuating member is disposed in said first slot in said base,

said operating member being engageable with said rear wall for operating said switch contacts in response to movement of said arm when said actuating member is disposed in said second slot in said standard.

10. A microphone stand assembly,

comprising the combination of a hollow microphone stand having an outer wall with an opening therein,

said stand having a chamber therein,

a switch assembly having a movable actuating member projecting outwardly through said opening,

a mounting member formed on the inside of said stand in communication with said chamber,

said switch assembly including a mounting bracket having an end member engaging said mounting member,

removable fastening means for securing said end member to said mounting member,

said mounting bracket including a swingable arm having a hinge connection to said end member,

said actuating member being mounted on said arm for swinging movement therewith through said opening,

a set of switch contacts mounted on said arm for bodily movement therewith,

and an operating member connected to one of said contacts and movable therewith,

said stand having a wall element behind said arm and engageable by said operating member of said switch assembly to produce operation of said switch contacts in response to movement of said actuating member through said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,283,111 3/1969 Wirsching l79l47 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner W. A. HELVESTINE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

